Virginia K–6 visual art standards

Draw from imagination

Create works of art that represent personal responses to art-making challenges.

Ask questions about art and artmaking.

Generate multiple ideas for an art challenge.

Share ideas with a group

Describe works of art.

Describe objects in the environment by their visual qualities (e.g., location, size, color, texture, line, shape, pattern).

Describe ideas, experiences, and feelings expressed in personal and other works of art.

The student will describe personal connections to and interests in visual art.

The student will describe how artists work together in a creative community.

Describe the concept that people in all cultures create works of art.

Respond to art from a variety of time periods and places

The student will identify a variety of purposes for creating works of art including art to commemorate personal and community events.

The student will identify information about art from provided resources.

The student will identify people, including oneself, who make art as artists.

The student will identify works of art created with contemporary media.

The student will recognize connections between the arts, incorporating or responding to music, theatre, or dance in their artwork.

Color—red, blue, yellow, green, orange, violet, brown, black, white.

Line—straight/curved, thick/thin, long/short, up/down/across.

Shape—circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval.

Texture—visual, tactile

Pattern—occurring naturally, made by people.

Identify spatial relationships—left, right, top, bottom, side, center, front, back, over, and under.

Make observations of objects in space.

The student will create drawings from observation.

The student will use motor skills to create two dimensional and three dimensional works of art (e.g., pinching, pulling, squeezing, twisting, pounding, rolling, folding, cutting, modeling, stamping)

The student will explore a variety of media, techniques, and processes to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork.

Depict the human figure

Use nature as inspiration.

Experiment with materials.

Make unconventional combinations of ideas or objects in artwork.

Examine a variety of solutions to art-making challenges.

Describe steps used in the creation of works of art.

Describe the visual qualities and content of works of art.

Describe similarities and differences among works of art.

Describe how ideas, opinions, and emotions are communicated in works of art

The student will share a response to art and explain why viewers may have different responses to works of art.

The student will identify skills needed to work collaboratively in a creative art community

Explain a variety of reasons why works of art can have importance

Describe how art is an integral part of one’s culture.

The student will identify artwork and artists in the community and Commonwealth

The student will identify appropriate sources of information for learning about art.

The student will describe various careers in the visual arts.

The student will recognize how artists use current technology and contemporary media to create works of art.

The student will identify connections between the arts by incorporating or responding to music, theatre, or dance in their artwork.

Color—primary, secondary.

Line—zigzag, dotted, wavy, spiral.

Shape—geometric, organic.

Texture—visual, tactile.

Pattern—alternating, repeating

Arrange shapes in space within the picture plane.

Identify and use figure ground relationships.

Identify and use size relationships.

The student will create observational drawings of people and objects in the environment.

The student will apply motor skills (e.g., cutting, modeling, molding, tearing, weaving) to create two- and three-dimensional works of art.

The student will apply a variety of media, materials, techniques, and processes to create artwork.

Use the senses of sight, touch, and hearing.

Create works of art inspired by stories or poems, ideas, and themes.

Depict personal experiences

Incorporate unanticipated results of artmaking into works of art.

Depict imaginary characters, scenes, or experiences.

Generate a variety of solutions to artmaking challenges.

Reflect on the process and outcome of an artmaking experience.

Categorize works of art both real and imaginary, by subject matter, such as portrait, landscape, still life, and architecture.

Interpret ideas, opinions, and emotions expressed in personal and others’ works of art.

The student will express opinions with supporting statements regarding works of art.

Active listening for understanding.

Share and take turns with art tools and materials.

Identify symbols and motifs from various cultures

Identify public art, both historical and contemporary, and its impact on the community

Explain ways that the art of a culture reflects its people’s attitudes, beliefs, and experiences.

The student will describe roles of artwork and artists in communities.

The student will identify appropriate sources for viewing art on the Internet.

The student will recognize careers related to the art media used in instruction.

The student will explore contemporary digital tools for artmaking

The student will apply connections between the arts by incorporating or responding to music, theatre, or dance in the creation of a work of art.

Color—warm, cool, neutral.

Form—three dimensional.

Line—vertical, horizontal, diagonal.

Shape—geometric, organic.

Pattern—complex alternating and repeating.

Use foreground and background in works of art.

Depict objects according to size and proportion within works of art.

The student will create preliminary drawings and/or finished works of art from observation.

The student will refine motor skills (e.g., cutting, modeling, molding, tearing, weaving) to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of art.

The student will create three-dimensional works of art, using a variety of materials to include clay.

The student will create works of art inspired by a variety of concepts, themes, and/or literary sources.

Use imaginative and expressive strategies to create works of art.

Create work in collaboration with others.

Identify innovative solutions used by artists to solve artmaking challenges

Describe and use steps of the artmaking process, including brainstorming, preliminary sketching, and planning, to create works of art

Collaborate with peers to identify ways to further develop an artwork

Identify distinguishing characteristics of a selection of art, such as landscape, portrait, still life, and narrative works.

Analyze personal works of art, using visual art vocabulary, such as the elements of art and/or principles of design.

Identify how works of art and craft communicate aspects of times, places, and cultures.

The student will express informed judgments about works of art.

Ask clarifying questions.

Take responsibility for the care of art tools and materials.

History, Culture, and Citizenship

Identify how history, culture, and the visual arts influence each other.

Compare and contrast works of art created by artists of diverse cultures.

Examine the relationship between form and function in the artifacts of a culture.

Compare and contrast art and architecture from a variety of cultures.

The student will determine reasons why art has value to people and communities.

The student will demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when exploring art topics.

The student will identify a variety of artists and art careers.

The student will explore and investigate the use of technology for creating and editing works of art.

The student will explain authentic opportunities for artmaking that demonstrate understanding of a concept learned in another content area.

Color—intermediate, warm, cool.

Space—positive, negative.

Balance—symmetry, asymmetry, radial.

Contrast

Pattern—decorative repeating motifs.

The student will identify and use foreground, middle ground, and background in two-dimensional works of art.

The student will use organic and geometric shapes in observational drawing.

The student will identify quality and technical skill in works of art.

The student will use subtractive and additive processes in various media, including clay

The student will develop ideas inspired by a variety of sources, including print, nonprint, and contemporary media, for incorporation into works of art.

Apply imaginative and expressive ideas.

Develop ideas individually and collaboratively.

Formulate questions about works of art.

Use steps of the creative process, including brainstorming, preliminary sketching, planning, and reflecting, to generate ideas for and create works of art.

Compare and contrast abstract, representational, and nonrepresentational works of art.

Analyze works of art based on visual properties and contextual information.

Interpret works of art for multiple meanings.

Describe criteria used to evaluate artwork of self and others.

The student will describe how personal beliefs influence responses to works of art.

Provide and receive constructive feedback.

Demonstrate personal responsibility for the art room spaces and tools.

Describe the roles of crafts and artisans in diverse cultures

Compare and contrast characteristics of diverse cultures depicted in works of art

Identify ways that works of art from popular culture reflect the past and influence the present.

Explain how criteria used to assess the importance of art may vary from one culture to another.

The student will explain how art is an integral part of one’s life and community.

The student will give credit to sources used in art research.

The student will identify common characteristics of various art careers.

The student will use contemporary media, which may include digital media, to create works of art individually or collaboratively.

The student will explore how artmaking skills can be used in the development of solutions to real-world problems.

Color—hue, tint, shade, intensity.

Texture—actual, implied.

Value—shading to create implied depth.

Pattern—repetition to imply movement.

Variety—to create interest.

Unity—to create compositional harmony

The student will create the illusion of depth on a twodimensional surface, using overlapping, size variation, and placement on the picture plane.

The student will use a variety of lines and shading techniques to create observational drawings.

The student will reflect on quality and technical skill in personal works of art.

Describe and use handbuilding techniques to make a ceramic work of art.

Use craft techniques.

The student will create works of art that connect ideas, art forms, or cultural themes to personal experiences.

Express personal ideas, images, and themes through artistic choices of media, techniques, and subject matter.

Demonstrate resilience and resourcefulness in solving art challenges.

Apply steps of the creative process, including brainstorming, researching, preliminary sketching, planning, reflecting, and refining, to synthesize ideas for and create works of art.

Use specific criteria to self-evaluate a finished product.

Compare and contrast natural and constructed environments

Analyze and interpret works of art based on visual properties and context.

Interpret an artist’s point of view based on contextual information.

Develop criteria to evaluate the work of self and others.

The student will select a preferred work of art and defend the selection.

Effectively use listening skills.

Apply communication skills in class discussions and presentations.

Recognize a variety of strengths in others and oneself.

Describe how criteria used to assess the importance of art may vary over time.

Examine the influence of historic events on works of art.

Describe similarities and differences among art and artists from a variety of diverse cultures and experiences.

Compare and contrast contemporary and historical works of art, including architecture.

The student will describe how artists contribute to society

The student will define intellectual property as it relates to art.

The student will describe various commercial art careers.

The student will investigate and explore approaches to time-based media such as video, traditional animation, digital animation, and game design.

The student will explore authentic opportunities for how artmaking skills are used for problem-solving.

Color—student-mixed hues, tints, shades, tones.

Form—convex, concave, positive, negative.

Texture—surface embellishment.

Value—gradation to create the illusion of depth on a two dimensional surface.

Balance—formal, informal.

Pattern—repetition to create rhythm.

Use atmospheric perspective in works of art

Use size and proportion to emphasize spatial relationships in works of art

The student will draw the human figure in proportion from observation.

The student will execute and complete works of art with attention to detail and skill in the use of art materials.

Create sculpture in the round, high relief, or bas-relief, using three dimensional media, including clay

Combine various craft techniques in works of art.

The student will create works of art inspired by a variety of sources, subjects, and other fields of knowledge

The student will apply creative thinking to communicate personal ideas, experiences, and narratives in works of art.

Use, and record in a digital or traditional sketchbook/journal, steps of the creative process, including brainstorming, preliminary sketching, planning, reflecting, peer critiquing, refining, and elaborating, to create works of art.

Explain the relationship between artmaking processes and finished products.

Use critical thinking skills when describing, responding to, interpreting, and evaluating works of art.

Describe ideas and emotions expressed in works of art.

Identify how visual language communicates meaning.

Examine the components of an artist’s style, including materials, design, technique, subject matter, and purpose.

Apply personal criteria to evaluate artwork.

Describe how the beliefs and values of a viewer may influence ideas and opinions about works of art.

Respond to questions about why artists create works of art.

Describe how works of art can evoke personal sensory, emotional, and aesthetic responses.

Contribute to class discussions.

Identify procedures for the safety and care of art materials and tools.

Explore how the ethnic heritage, culture, and personal identities of artists influence their work

Examine the roles of crafts in communities.

The student will describe ways artists contribute to their communities and society through their work.

The student will identify and apply digital citizenship skills related to intellectual property in art research, creation, use of source materials, and sharing.

The student will investigate various types of art careers.

The student will investigate and explore how to create a narrative using time-based media.

The student will explore cross-curricular connections with art content.

Color—relationships.

Line—variation, implied.

Texture—visual, tactile

Value—gradation.

Proportion—realistic, distorted.

The student will use a variety of perspective techniques to create the illusion of space in works of art.

The student will apply a variety of techniques including gesture and continuous line in observational drawings.

The student will exercise increasing skill and control in the use of media and techniques.

The student will use modeling, assembling, or carving to create three-dimensional works of art.

The student will create artworks from a variety of subject matte